1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to portable emergency signaling equipment intended to permit carriers of the equipment to call for help when needed. More specifically, the invention relates to a signal activator assembly, that can be worn as a garment by person such as an athlete, for example, having an electrical activator switch incorporated into the garment in a location or locations most conveniently accessible to the wearer.
2. Description of the Invention
Portable signaling devices for use by workers, athletes and the elderly or infirm, are deemed to be well-known in the art. It is also well-known that such signaling devices may be used for notifying others of an emergency situation. However, to the best of the current inventors' knowledge, the prior art devices do not address the problem of assuring that the activator for such signaling devices is consistently positioned so as to be conveniently accessible to a person in need.
In the prior art, portable signaling activators such as emergency alarm buttons have often been carried as self-contained units at the end of lanyard cords hung about the neck. Such signaling buttons suffer from the disadvantage of imposing added weight and possible abrasion of tender skin areas on those most vulnerable to the ill-effects of such impositions. Although these lanyard-mounted signaling buttons can be located advantageously away from exposure to undesirable ambient weather conditions such as rain and snow, such positioning does not place them in particularly advantageous orientation for emergency access. Further, lanyard supports are not readily usable by athletes and other physically active persons, because physical activity tends to dislodge any object suspended on the lanyard and may often result in the object being out of reach of the wearer when the need for access to the object arises.
Another form of portable signaling apparatus involves reliance on hand held cell phones with “dedicated” push buttons that transmit signals or calls to emergency numbers such as “911”, or other pre-selected help or service providers. However, cell phones and similar hand-carried devices are subject to inadvertent misplacement and/or to being inaccessible in deep pockets or overfilled handbags at the moment of greatest need.
The present invention overcomes these problems and limitations of the prior art by incorporating a signal operator, such as a pressure-sensitive, momentary-contact pad switch, in a protected but readily accessible location in the structure of a wearable garment or band.